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Henderson dispatched Mauricio Rua
with a sweeping right hook to the nose and subsequent ground
strikes in the
UFC Fight Night 39 headliner on March 23 at Nelio Dias
Gymnasium in Natal, Brazil. The end came 91 seconds into the third
round, as Henderson became the first man to defeat “Shogun”
twice.

Rua masked his power punches with a stiff jab and stout leg kicks,
as he had the former two-division
Pride Fighting Championships titleholder reeling and on the
verge of being stopped late in the first round. Henderson somehow
withstood the onslaught, as Rua pierced his defenses with a right
hook-left hook combination and some vicious ground-and-pound.

“Shogun” floored the two-time Olympian with a right uppercut in
round two but failed to capitalize, settling in Henderson’s guard
before a referee restart. The two clinched to start the third
frame. On the break, Henderson’s right hand swept across the
Brazilian’s face sending him careening backward. The stoppage
followed soon after, with the dazed and disfigured Rua eating
further punishment and clinging to Henderson’s leg in
desperation.